I got the gasket down and tightened down the pump. I started up the truck and after a few minutes noticed that there was a drip coming of the spot where the lower radiator hose clamps on to the radiator. I get down there and I see the coolent is running down the hose. My first instinct is that it is leaking where the hose goes into the water pump but given where it is at, it is almost impossible to definitively diagnose that as the car is running. One end of the hose had a little flare. Is it possible I put it upside down? The stock hose had a flare on both ends and it was nearly impossible to put the non-flare part on the lower radiator pipe? Is there a right way up on these hoses. If there is a little kink in the hose could that cause a problem?
Symptoms:
Coolant is warm.
As the temperature gets hotter, the leak gets worse.
When the thermostat opened (engine got cooler) the leak got a little better but didn’t go away.
OK fixed the first leak. Didn’t clamp down the hose tight enough.
The second leak is a major problem. The coolant is cold and some of it is definately coming off the front of the block. I find it hard to believe that it is a water pump problem considering I just replaced it and I doubt I’d have the same leak twice in a row with two different water pumps. What else can it be?
It may be a thermostat housing gasket, get a flashlight and just study the top of the motor the best you can, you may have to go underneath the car and look up, Is it possible you may not have cleaned old gasket all the way off? Recheck all the hose clamps in the vicinity of the leak and higher.
If you really can’t find it [the leak], you can’t rent a pressure testing kit from Advance Auto (or Auto Zone I would imagine) for free. They’ll charge you full price, but refund you when you bring it back.
Hook it in where your radiator cap goes, start pumping it up and you’ll see coolant coming out. It’s a lot easier to find the leak when the coolant is cold and sprays out in a nice stream rather then when it’s hot, comes out as steam, then gets blown around by the fan. It’s also a lot easier when you’re not dealing with a hot/running engine.
I put the gasket in the pump correctly so I’m pretty sure it’s not the pump that’s leaking. I’m really thinking its a freeze plug leaking now.
2006 Jeep Commander Limited 5.7L
I was thinking freeze plugs.
I think I swapped out a good water pump but with 90,000 miles on the truck, maybe I can justify it as a pre-emptive replacement.
I just did mine and it leaked. The o ring had slipped out of the groove and it got pinched. The pump was so obscured I couldnt see that the o ring was out of the groove.
When doing pumps, you really need to get every last bit of the old gasket off for a flush fit. I’d also use gasket-maker in addition to the gasket for the best seal possible. Also make sure to use the proper torque. Not doing any one of these can result in a leak.
One challenge is the front crankshaft pulley. It has to come off, which requires a puller.
The other is the oil pan. The official instructions include removing it, as the front of the pan attaches to the bottom of the timing cover. On most designs I can leave the pan in place, but then it sometimes gets tricky dealing with the front portion of the oil pan gasket, one of those things where it’s nice to have someone to guide you if you’ve not done it before. If the oil pan actually does have to be removed, it gets pretty involved and is beyond what you want to do. ETA: Maybe you can find something on the net that adresses this, with pictures and details about how to do it while leaving the pan in place.
Other than those two concerns it’s fairly straightforward. Basically everything on the front of the engine has to be gotten out of the way – alternator, A/C compressor, belt and its pulleys, though interestingly the water pump can be left on the cover.
That may explain wht there was a small leak on the front down to the oil pan. I thought it was the water pump linking but from what you’re saying it could be the timing cover. I think the shop would have to do it. Any idea on what labor time I’m looking at?
Turns out the lower radiator hose that I had a bitch of a time putting on needed to be reattached. A shop did this and vaccuum tested the system. Well worth the $45. Now I’m not sure if it was the waterpump or the hose that needed replaced but with 90K miles on the pump, it was probably worth it.
